Shark takes third victim

Amity, Mass. - After a hoax nearly evacuated Amity Beaches yesterday, yet another fatality took the third victim of what is now definitely being confirmed as shark attacks.

The victim, James Parks, 30 of Oak Bluffs, was mauled at 1: 30 p.m. today when his small rowboat was attacked and knocked into the water. Most of his remains have not been recovered. By the order of the Amity Police department, beaches will remain closed until further notice.

Residents are urged to use extreme caution and swim at their own risk. Any incident s should be reported immediately to the local Coast Guard.

Killer culprit taken down at Amity

Amity, Mass. – Despite a string of fatalities off the coast of Amity beach last week, the shore was packed this Fourth of July with beach-goers eager to dive into the waves.

“I am delighted to report that the giant killer shark that has been blamed for two deaths this week was caught, “said Amity Chief of Police Martin P. Brody.”It was killed in waters one mile south-southwest of Amity."

The shark was caught be a group of anonymous local fishermen patrolling the area as a precautionary measure after the two reported deaths. They will be receiving a $3,000 reward for killing the 16-foot nurse shark, identified by Matt Hooper of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.

According to Chief Brody, the beaches will reopen immediately, though armed shark spotters will continue to patrol the waters. He urges any future shark sightings to be reported to the local Amity police or Coast Guard.

However, Brody remains confident of the safety of Amity beaches this weekend. “While police urge vigilance, we believe that the danger of further shark attacks has passed.”

And the locals are taking Brody’s word, as Amity Beaches were packed with children and adults alike splashing into the waves. Even with the ominous racket of helicopters overhead, children were spotted swimming feet from the shallows.

“I’m pleased to announce we have caught the large predator that hurt some bathers,” said Mayor Bob Farley, “After all, Amity means friendship."

With the spirit of Amity intact, all seemed well for the beachgoers. That was until a major scare occurred, in which the patrolmen fired at a ‘shark’, which was in actuality two young men performing a hoax.

The beach was immediately evacuated by lifeguards and patrolmen, but nerves remained high on Amity. The scare, who nearly resulted in the accidental shooting of the young men, evacuated the bustling beachfront.

Shark Attacks unlikely in local waters

Ever since the movie “Jaws” hit the big screen in 1975, New Englanders just can’t shake the notion that they could be the next meal for the infamous great white sharks lurking off Martha’s Vineyard.

But for director of the UNH Marine Center, Stephen H. Jones, shark attacks are not a valid concern for those of us living in New England.

“While Great White sharks are predatory animals, “Jones said. “The media exaggerates their supposed threat to humans.”

Despite the fact that Great White sharks are arguably the world’s largest predatory fish, with lengths reaching up to an awesome 20 feet and weighing in at a colossal 5,000 pounds, Jones supports research that the supposed “Man Eaters” pose a limited threat to humans.

Documented shark attacks in fact indicate that within the last two centuries, only 31 confirmed attacks occurred within the Mediterranean Sea, a sizeable body of water. Here in the Atlantic, the numbers are even smaller, with the last reported shark attack occurring nearly five years ago.

Of these incidents, many are ‘test biting’, where sharks mistakenly grab onto unfamiliar objects, like a buoy or flotsam. Researchers claim this is typical behavior for a shark trying to determine the nature of the catch, and whether it is suitable prey.

In rare instances, a surfer’s legs dangling off the edge of a surf board may be one such ‘test bite’. “Great white sharks are known to mistake surf boards for seals,” Jones said. “Essentially sharks are not malicious creatures. They are not designed to hunt humans.”

The most recent documented shark attack occurred on April 25, 2008 off the shores of Solana Beach, CA. The victim was Dave Martin, 66, killed at approximately 7:20 a.m. while swimming with a group of nine tri-athletes. He was bitten across both thighs.

However, shark attacks occurring in New England are comparatively rare. Connecticut had only one reported shark attack in the last 400 years, while California had three documented attacks, two of which involved the Great White shark.

And for those still concerned with Massachusetts, the setting of the big screen’s hysteria with the predatory fish, only 4 shark attacks were reported. Two such attacks resulted in death, in which the swimmer was unable to escape.

Amity to close beaches as sharks take next victim

Amity, Mass. - Following a horrific death- in which the mangled body of Wendy W. Watson was found washed on shore- a second death was confirmed today in what Chief of Police Martin P. Brody calls a ‘vicious and unprovoked shark attack.’

The latest victim was 10-year-old Alex Ferguson of Mayfair Court in Amity. Ferguson had been floating on a rubber raft off Village Beach when the attack apparently occurred.

His body has not been recovered, but his damaged raft floated ashore with a huge gash, resembling a bite mark.

“We now believe that it may be possible that the Watson death also may have been linked to possible shark activities,” said Deputy Brody. “Though that investigation is ongoing at this time.”

Town officials in Amity have consistently hastened to caution the press not to jump to any conclusions about possible shark- related connections in the recent murders. Their decision appears at the height of the local tourist season.

Although no other injuries were reported, Alex’s mother, Marian Ferguson is being treated for shock at Amity Hospital, where she is reported to be in fair condition.

A press conference will be held by the mayor, Deputy Brody, and the Amity Board of Selectmen at 5 p.m. today in Town Hall to clarify the allegations of shark-related deaths and outline a subsequent action plan.

At that time, town officials will discuss a controversial request by Chief Brody to close beaches, and discuss local fisherman Ben Quint’s proposal to hunt down the shark, now thought to be the vile perpetrator of the tragic incident.

Body Found Mangled on South Beach from ‘unknown origin’

Amity, Mass. - After a horrific death was confirmed on South Beach last night, the mangled body of Wendy Watson, 16 of 23 Sharkstooth St. In Amity was found washed up on shore at 7 a.m. today.

Watson, a sophomore at Amity High School, was last seen alive leaving a beach party with an unidentified male at 11 pm. Allegedly, the teenage girl was skinny-dipping under the influence of alcohol, and entered a remote section of the beach.

After a brief search, her body was found severely mauled by an attacker of unknown origin. Her body has been transported to the coroner’s office for autopsy.
No charges have been filed in the case, and police are continuing their investigation of the incident.

Though a shark attack has not been completely ruled out, the cause of death remains uncertain. But the Deputy Martin P. Brody remains confident regarding the safety of Amity beaches.

“We want to assure all residents and visitors on our fine island that they are in no danger”, he said. Our lovely beaches will remain open for swimming pending the outcome of the investigation.”

'Washout' poses problems for UNH community

Durham, N.H. - At 4:06 a.m, the New Hampshire posted a flood watch for southern ME and NH posing dangerous conditions for morning commuters.

Power outages in Bethlehem, Durham, Concord, Madison and New London were reported as of 8:25 a.m. Weather forecasters predict continued stormy weather this weekend, with between one to three inches of rain anticipated tonight alone.

Due to high winds expected to reach 38 mph, all residence hall sites on the UNH campus have lost power. A flood watch remains in effect by The National Weather Service for Southern Maine.

President Huddleston will notify the UNH community of curtailed operations immediately after a final recommendation is made by the Vice Pres. of Finance and Administration.

But the town of Durham is still feeling the effects of the heavy rainfall, expected to taper off later this evening. Slower morning commutes and widespread power outages pose problems for the community.

In the month of November, the rainiest month in New Hampshire, average temperatures reach 41.5 degrees which is 3.5 degrees above the average. 5.9 inches of precipitation was an expected average rainfall.

Stocks Plunge and Credit Markets Seize Up

When reflecting on an article from Friday’s Times, I was instantly drawn to the bold letters shouting in the dead center of the paper, “Stocks Drop Sharply and Credit Markets Seize Up”. With the economy in a slump, the article is extremely relevant, not to mention hard to miss. The Dow industrials were also a nice, catchy visual.

The lead, which set the economic scene by relaying Thursday’s fear-stricken financial market, jumped right into Friday’s plunge that wiped out gains within the last decade. The article was organized very clearly in a linear pattern, expanding on the reader’s questions about Friday’s drop in the Dow Jones industrial average.

The first paragraph fueled reader’s interest by addressing the extent of the latest damage-which means back to square one for many companies bailed out by the $700 billion rescue plan in October. The second and third paragraph address the details of the article including:

1.) The Dow’s fall by nearly 445 points, or 5.6 percent- the lowest drop since the pre- dot boom era in 1997.
2.) The $8.3 trillion in stock market wealth erased in the past 13 months.
3.) The increasing worry of investors like Citigroup, which dropped to fresh lows of 26.4 percent.

The remainder of the article zeros in on specific investors and the recent plight- like Standard and Poor’s and Citigroup- to give readers a personal sense of the economic damage. I do not have much criticism for the article, as it addressed the obvious who, what, when and where questions in lamest terms and also expanded on particular companies losses.

I was surprised to learn that the Dow Jones industrial average closed at 7,552.29, barely surpassing lows in last October's 2002 bear market. I think the article could have benefitted from more quotes from investors, as this would drive home the severity of the companies' struggles for real individuals facing the consequences of a plummeting market.